A Bruised White Rose
by ShirubaRozu
Summary: Elizabeth finds a white rose in her garden that reminds her of a certain someone...what does Ciel do when he finds her crying over it? Small oneshot, Lizzy x Ciel


**So, just a small one-shot I came up with today, thought I should write it down and share it with you guys :) Hope you all like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji or any of the characters.**

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Elizabeth glanced at the perfectly pink roses that settled on a bush only a few feet away. Her brightly lit garden was filled with roses of all kinds - red ones, pink ones, white ones…

She gracefully stood up from her white chair that was seated next to a small, round and matching table. Walking over to the bushes she so often visited, she caught a glimpse of a fallen white rose on the neatly trimmed lawn.

She stooped down to pick it up, but realized that it hadn't fallen - it was still attached to the bush, but hardly. A sad smile graced her pale face.

"You poor thing, you look hurt." Her feminine voice whispered softly to the flower.

She gently held the head of the rose in her palm, close enough to the bush so that it wouldn't snap. She contemplated for a moment if she should pick it, so that it wouldn't ruin the beauty of the rest of the rose bush, but it seemed so lonely by itself.

Would the flower be happier if it was forcefully picked from the bush? She couldn't see how it would be happy if she left it there.

She heaved a very unladylike sigh, seeing as that no one was nearby to witness it. Or so she thought.

"What is troubling you, Lady Elizabeth?"

She gasped, and then quickly covered her mouth with a gloved hand. The familiar, low and gentle voice had shocked her, but still, one hand held protectively onto the rose.

"Ciel! I...didn't see you there." She tried to keep up her poise.

It wasn't unusual for his presence to be in her garden. He had been frequently visiting the house for the past few months, as he had business with her brother. Though, of course, neither of them would ever tell _her_ what kind of business it was.

Overstepping the barrier of formalities, he bent down to her level, gazing at the rose laying upon her now dirtied pink glove. Switching his view from the flower to his fiance's eyes, he could tell that she was deep in thought. She looked trapped. Helpless.

Glancing back down at the rose, he spoke to her "Elizabeth, what are you doing with that thing? Just leave it there, the gardeners will take care of it."

She looked back at Ciel with a horrified expression in her eyes, as she took her absent hand and placed it over the rose defensively.

"But Ciel! Loot at it, it's hurt! I have to protect it!" She protested.

"Elizabeth, don't be silly. It's one single rose in a rose bush - just look at it, it's petals are bruised and it's hardly living. There's plenty of others to gaze at, it won't make a difference if this one is trimmed." He said, almost cold heartedly and unfeeling.

Elizabeth tried to stifle the tears brimming at her eyes. "But Ciel! It still has a chance, if I take care of it, it can live again! And it'll be the most beautiful rose of all because it was nurtured with love...please don't trim it Ciel, please!"

Ciel blankly looked at her watery eyes. Without saying a word, he got up and left.

"Ciel-!" She choked, wondering if her soft cry was heard.

It didn't matter, he was always like this. She loved him, but did he love her? She looked back at the white rose, hoping that at least it could love her.

She bent her head down and touched the rose with the tip of her nose, as tears silently made their way down her cheeks.

And she sat like that, for what seemed forever.

_What was so important about the rose anyway? Only she knew the answer to that. What difference did it make if it was cut off from the rest? Trampled, destroyed, and left to decay. It was just a flower. Nothing important. Soon another one would replace it's absence-that was just how the world was. She was being childish, trying to protect something so undeserving of being saved. What good did it ever bring? It wasn't pretty like the rest. All it brought were stubborn thorns. _

Suddenly, she felt something warm on the back of her head. She sniffled, recognizing the warmth as a human hand. Oh what a disgraceful position she was in, her mother would be furious.

What if it _was_ her mother?

She glanced up, doing her best to hide her eyes behind her golden bangs.

It didn't work.

The person beside her bent down, taking their hand off her head. Now as the figure sat in front of her, she could tell that it was none other than Ciel. _He came back. _

"I'm sorry, Ciel."

Silently, he placed a few odd objects next to her lap.

A stick.

A piece of string.

And a pitcher of water.

She allowed her teary eyes to be shown, as she questioned his actions with a gesture of her head.

He stayed still for a few moments, looking into her confused eyes and contemplating what he was to do next. He was helpless in front of her when she was like this.

The next thing he knew, he was in the kneeling position, and he brought his arms around her upper back, having her head lean into his chest as he embraced her.

"If there's something you must do, then do it. But if you protect this helpless flower, then who will protect you?"

After a sniffle and small moment of silence, she stupidly replied, "I don't know."

_Today is NOT my day. I hate him to see me like this…_

And yet, she was glad that it was _him_ to see her like that.

Ciel relaxed his arms from her, and sat back down to face her. He lifted her downcast face to his, and peered into her emerald eyes.

And for a minute, she could see the old Ciel. Her Ciel. She loved him regardless, but, he looked like he was truly living again. And THAT, made her the happiest girl in the world.

So much so in fact, she could have toppled him with a giant bear hug. But she didn't, in fear of ruining the rose she'd been holding onto for awhile now.

Ciel took his hands from her face and turned his attention towards her gloved hand. He then put his own hand underneath the rose and began to prop it up with the stick and the string he had brought earlier.

"Then, we'll protect it together"

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"Hello Young Master. I haven't seen you about since you disappeared after breakfast this morning. You had an enjoyable afternoon I presume?" Sebastian said with a hint of a smirk.

He had an all-too-knowing look in his eye. And Ciel didn't like it.

_That bastard was probably spying on us. _

To save himself from the humiliation, he decided to ignore the previous question the butler had inquired.

"Sebastian, bring me some tea."

"Yes My Lord."

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**So how did you all like it? Hopefully it wasn't too OOC or anything. Review please! It makes me a better writer :) **


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